While apples are heavy on the branch in Northern Michigan, we’ve got six alluringly laid-back ways to bake them into something heavenly. These easy apple recipes are fall perfection.
A homemade apple pie is a seldom-seen delicacy at my house, for the simple reason that I don’t know how to make good pie crust. I always fall short of the precision it takes to achieve flaky, tender, golden-brown results: perfectly measured flour, icy water, not too much handling, but just enough that the fat incorporates properly. It’s just too much fiddling for something that may flop.
Even so, the change in the air almost begs for a warm apple dessert to go with it. And there is nothing quite so comfy as the honeyed, spicy aroma of apples baking in the oven. So here are our most forgiving autumnal comforts and desserts starring Northern Michigan apples. They’re proof you can let yourself off the hook and still make people very happy.
Wondering what apples to use? Use this guide to the best apples for baking.
Photo by Todd Zawistowski
Apple Carrot Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
Two glories of the fall harvest—juicy apples and earthy carrots—make this a dense, moist cake that can’t come out dry. Crown with maple-tinged cream cheese frosting.
Photo by Todd Zawistowski
Shortcut Apple Strudel
Not a German grandmother’s recipe, but close. This crackly strudel is fragrant and comforting, and it comes together nearly effortlessly with the help of frozen phyllo dough. Adapted from Savoring the Seasons of the Northern Heartland by Beth Dooley and Lucia Watson.
Photo by Todd Zawistowski
Baked Apples with Dates, Coconut and Rum
You’ll love the way the rum and butter cozy up to the apples as they bake so much, you almost may not want to take them out of the oven. Almost.
Photo by Todd Zawistowski
Apple-Cheddar Scones
A sweet-savory winner!
Photo by Todd Zawistowski
Puffed Apple Pancake
This homey, not-too-sweet pancake cooked in a cast iron skillet is delicious for breakfast or dessert. It bakes up light and sinks as it cools.
The Perfect Apple Crisp
Here I’ve found the perfect proportions for the crisp topping if you like giant crispy buttery orbs that shatter deliciously when you fork into the warm apples.
Related Read: How to Store Apples All Winter Long